Genius Martial Arts Trainer

Chapter 29: Entrance Examination

“Hehehe. Kid, it seems you are inherently one of us.”

Hye-gwan, having received an unspoken approval from the audience, said to Mu-gyeong with a sly smile.

However, Mu-gyeong wasn’t really hearing his words right now.

The sudden halt of the sparring had cooled down Mu-gyeong’s excitement.

Only now did he realize that hundreds of temple elders had been watching him, and amidst that, he had exhibited his killer techniques.

It was truly a mad revelry.

“Hee, heek…”

Having come back to his senses, Mu-gyeong let out a strange noise, then bowed his head deeply and started to tremble. It was as if he didn’t have the courage to raise his head and face others.

“Hahaha.”

Watching Mu-gyeong’s state, Hye-gwan burst into hearty laughter.

“Well, this is something. Seems like I might end up taking in someone crazier than myself as my disciple.”

When fighting, his eyes would turn and he would even unleash deadly techniques on his master, but once back to his senses, he was too scared to even make eye contact with others.

Hye-gwan himself, including many madmen within the Demon Extermination Squad, had never seen someone so polarized in their madness.

“It looks like it will be more enjoyable to train him than I thought. Hehehe. I’m looking forward to it.”

After saying that to Mu-gyeong, Hye-gwan, as if he had lost interest in the entrance examination, soared over the wall of the Arhat Faction and disappeared.

* * *

The entrance examination was briefly thrown into chaos due to the incident with Hye-gwan and Mu-gyeong.

However, as most of the monks were deeply cultivated, the confusion quickly dissipated, and the entrance examination promptly resumed.

And as most of the introductory disciples were finishing their examination…

“Hmm. If we’re talking purely talent, it seems that Mu-gyeong, who became Hye-gwan’s disciple, has the most outstanding talent. Arhat Faction Leader.”

Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had observed the examination of as many as forty-one children, spoke with a satisfied expression.

All the children who had taken the examination so far had passed and were selected as Shaolin’s third-class disciples.

There had not been a single year with such a record since Hyun Cheon had entered Shaolin.

It was truly the best group ever, and among them, Mu-gyeong’s talent was peerless.

If Hye-gwan could properly manage Mu-gyeong’s madness, Abbot Hyun Cheon believed he would grow to be a great pillar of Shaolin.

However, why was it?

Responding to Abbot Hyun Cheon, who had rated Mu-gyeong’s talent the highest, Hyun-seong had a strange expression as he spoke.

“It is true that Mu-gyeong’s talent is astoundingly remarkable. However, if you were to ask me who the best disciple of this generation is, I would choose that child without hesitation. Senior Brother Ban-dangju.”

As Master Uncle Hye-jeong spoke, all eyes turned toward the place he was looking, where Mu-jin, whose name had finally been called, was walking toward the practice field.

Following Hyun-seong’s gaze to Mu-jin, Abbot Hyun Cheon questioned Hyun-seong once more.

“Is that child even more exceptional than Mu-gyeong?”

“If you ask whether Mu-jin is more exceptional than Mu-gyeong, the answer is both yes and no, Senior Brother Ban-dangju.”

“Yes and no…”

“Yes. If we’re talking about talent for martial arts alone, Mu-gyeong could be said to be superior to Mu-jin. Mu-gyeong indeed possesses the talent to synthesize all of our Shaolin martial arts.”

At Hyun-seong’s words, Abbot Hyun Cheon also nodded.

Aside from the madness and murderous intent he displayed at the end, if we’re looking solely at the understanding of martial arts, it was a completely reasonable assessment.

But that’s exactly why the question grew larger. How could there be someone even more exceptional than Mu-gyeong, who possessed such talent?

“What about this Mu-jin then?”

“Mu-jin is…”

After a brief pause, Hyun-seong, with a pleased smile, shared his comprehensive view of Mu-jin that he had observed all this while.

“He is a child who will advance our Shaolin to the next level.”

Hearing Hyun-seong’s answer, Abbot Hyun Cheon turned his head again to look at Mu-jin, who was now at the center of the practice field.

‘A child who will advance our Shaolin to the next level…’

Abbot Hyun Cheon could sense the subtle difference in Hyun-seong’s words. The difference in the subject.

A child who would synthesize Shaolin martial arts.

A child who would advance Shaolin.

It was a similar yet very different expression.

‘It’s almost like discussing that person.’

That expression somehow brought to Abbot Hyun Cheon’s mind the name of a figure.

“Begin!”

With Master Uncle Hye-jeong’s shout, the last entrance examination commenced.

* * *

In the precincts of Shaolin, where majestic halls stood.

A young monk was walking between the halls, carrying an elderly monk on his back.

At a glance, this scene might seem commonplace, yet there was also something quite extraordinary about it.

A youth carrying an elder was a picture of filial piety, as denoted by the Chinese character for ‘filial virtue.’

However, this was Shaolin Temple, where, except for a few scholarly monks who did not practice martial arts, most were monks skilled in martial arts.

Especially among the elderly of the esteemed Shaolin, who were usually experts that had reached a high level, there was no need for them to be carried by someone else.

The elderly monk creating this peculiar scene spoke to the young monk carrying him.

“It’s unusually quiet today.”

“It seems everyone has gone to observe today’s entrance examination, Master Uncle.”

“Today is the entrance examination?”

“Yes. This year, as many as forty-two are taking the examination, so many have gone to observe, Master Uncle.”

“Hohoho. It’s a sign of Shaolin’s revival.”

Carried on the back of his disciple, the elderly monk let out a shallow groan. After a moment to steady his breath, he spoke again.

“Bang-geon, as a Second-class Disciple, you too should take in a disciple, shouldn’t you?”

“There will be an entrance examination next year as well, won’t there? I enjoy these walks with you, Master Uncle. Hahaha.”

Bang-geon’s response brought a look of regret to the elderly monk’s face, but Bang-geon could not see the expression of the monk on his back.

The elderly monk knew.

He knew that Bang-geon had given up attending the entrance examination to take care of him.

That’s why the elderly monk came up with an idea.

“Then, let’s extend our walk to the Arhat Faction where the entrance examinations are held.”

“But Master Uncle…”

At the elderly monk’s words, this time it was Bang-geon who looked worried.

“Hohoho. I simply wish to take a longer walk for a change. It gets stuffy always going to the same places. Don’t worry about it.”

At the elderly monk’s words, Bang-geon showed a resigned expression.

“…I will be careful as we go, Master Uncle.”

“Hohoho. You always have a hard time because of me.”

“Nonsense, Master Uncle. No one in Shaolin would blame you, no matter what you ask of them.”

Responding in this way, Bang-geon carefully took each step to avoid jolting the monk on his back.

Moving carefully meant they were slow, and it took them over an hour to finally arrive at the Arhat Faction.

Bang-geon’s expression couldn’t help but turn sorrowful at the shallow groans from the elderly monk on his back.

Then, the monk being carried spoke up, after regulating his breath.

“Hoo. Shouldn’t we go a bit further in?”

“This place seems sufficient, Master Uncle.”

“Wouldn’t it be difficult to properly observe the sparring from here?”

“Hahaha. I am still lacking, and even if I were close, I’m not sure I could pick a proper disciple. Why not let Master Uncle decide after watching?”

Bang-geon, judging that it would be too much to go further in consideration of the elderly monk who seemed to have reached his limit, decided to stay there.

And in reality, the monk he was carrying could see the practice field from a higher vantage point and was sufficiently able to observe the sparring.

From that perspective, even the very back of the practice field was enough for them.

His internal strength may have faded, and his body aged, but the monk that Bang-geon carried had reached a level in the past that Bang-geon could hardly hope to match.

But for better or worse, by the time they had arrived at the practice field, the entrance examination was almost at its end.

As they arrived, Mu-jin, the last candidate for the examination, was heading towards the practice field.

“Sigh.”

As Mu-jin stepped into the practice field, an exclamation of admiration unknowingly escaped the lips of the elderly monk.

“At such a young age, to have such perfect balance.”

Having once been called the greatest of Shaolin before losing his martial arts due to an incident, the elderly monk could tell, just by looking at Mu-jin’s gait, that his physique was exceptionally superior.

Just then, a resounding cry from Master Uncle Hye-jeong signaled the start of the sparring.

“Begin!”

With Master Uncle Hye-jeong’s shout, Mu-jin charged towards the Second-class Disciple.

The assault of Mu-jin, with the finesse of the Nine Palace Steps and the strength of his lower body that had been cultivated over time, was truly explosive.

However, the Second-class Disciple, without panic, calmly tried to read Mu-jin’s movements.

To deceive the Second-class Disciple’s gaze, Mu-jin mixed in small feints, like he had taught Mu-gung, and then unleashed the One Cycle Heart Punch of the Revolving Fist Technique.

The One Cycle Heart Punch of the Revolving Fist Technique.

It was the most basic technique learned when one first entered Shaolin.

As such, the internal energy secrets of the Heart Punch were very simple. One only needed to flow internal energy through the channels in the correct order.

However, the elderly monk, observing the sparring, let out a murmur as Mu-jin executed the Heart Punch.

“Preposterous…”

The elderly monk, though his Danjeon was damaged and he could no longer gather internal energy, had not lost his sense of Qi.

With his past experience of reaching a high level, the elderly monk could discern the intention behind Mu-jin’s fist.

‘Mixing the finesse of the Nine Palace Steps and Autumn Wind Leg, he maximized the flow of power starting from his lower body, utilized the intricacies of the Xiao Hong Quan’s Six Postures to strengthen his core and withstand the force. No, he amplified it. Moreover, he amplified it again with the technique of Xiao Hong Quan’s First Posture from his shoulder.’

It seemed to be just a simple straight punch, but within it were blended the intricacies of several introductory martial arts.

And as those various intricacies unfolded simultaneously…

Bang!!!!

Something as forceful as breaking a rock was completed.

“Kuh.”

An involuntary groan came from the Second-class Disciple who had blocked Mu-jin’s punch.

The opponent was an introductory disciple. Naturally, the Second-class Disciple thought to use at most five years of his Qi cultivation to face Mu-jin.

But the speed of Mu-jin’s charge and the uncomfortable feeling from his fist, which was more than expected for a Revolving Fist Technique, caused him to draw up more of his power.

Yet, despite having brought forth ten years of cultivation against an introductory disciple, this was the outcome.

Though his bones weren’t broken, his forearm throbbed painfully, and after blocking Mu-jin’s strike, his body had been pushed back about a foot.

And towards him, who had been pushed back, Mu-jin’s second punch flew in.

Having already been pushed back by the force once, he desperately twisted his upper body to dodge, but the second punch was a feint.

As the Second-class Disciple twisted his body, the fist flying towards his face changed trajectory.

Realizing that Mu-jin’s incoming hand was employing the Guanyin Eighteen Hands technique, he similarly drew up his Qi to respond with the same technique.

‘What, what kind of grip strength is this!?’

He felt a tingling in his fingers as they grasped Mu-jin’s, and he had no choice but to pull up even more Qi.

The Second-class Disciple, who had tried to match Mu-jin’s level, finally felt on equal footing only after drawing on fifteen years of his Qi cultivation.

“…Could it be you consumed some sort of spiritual elixir before entering Shaolin?”

That question naturally arose in his mind, but to Mu-jin, it was a ridiculous misunderstanding.

“If there were such convenient things, how good would that have been.”

Mu-jin casually responded to the Second-class Disciple’s question and, as he released their interlocked fingers, he immediately launched a kick.

The Second-class Disciple barely managed to dodge the kick with the technique of the Iron Plank Bridge, and cold sweat ran down his forehead.

It was because of the fierce sound of air being torn by Mu-jin’s kick that had just passed his face.

‘This is not an opponent to take lightly!’

Having exchanged only a few hand moves, the Second-class Disciple quickly came to a decision.

In the entrance examination, it’s customary to use only about five years of Qi cultivation to gauge a child’s level.

However, if he held back his Qi against this child, the examination would be irrelevant; he’d simply be overpowered.

The Second-class Disciple decided to use basic martial arts, similar to an introductory disciple, but to draw on a bit more Qi.

Clang!!

As Mu-jin’s fist collided with the Second-class Disciple’s forearm, a clear sound like hammers striking each other echoed.
In truth, although Mu-jin hadn’t consumed any spiritual elixir, thanks to his active cultivation, he had accumulated internal strength much faster than other introductory disciples.

He had been able to reach the level of active cultivation in the Prajna Heart Technique thanks to a year’s worth of effort following his training in the Buddha Mind Technique.

However, even with that, he had only managed to gather an amount of internal energy comparable to that of children from martial families.

Yet, the elderly monk could easily infer why Mu-jin was able to produce such extraordinary strength.

“Sigh… To create such power with merely that level of internal energy.”

‘Fist, palm, leg, finger, hand, step. Excluding the Revolving Fist Technique, this child has at most learned only one martial art in each category.’

Among these, the fist technique, leg technique, and stepping technique were the introductory martial arts of Xiao Hong Quan, Autumn Wind Leg, and Nine Palace Steps, respectively.

This meant he had learned only three basic martial arts: Arhat Palm, Guanyin Eighteen Legs, and Stone-crushing Finger.

At first glance, it was not an especially remarkable count.

‘Instead of learning the next steps, he combined what he learned to create something new.’

Just like the initial use of the Revolving Fist Technique, though the forms seemed the same, these six martial arts were entirely different from one another. In fact, they were a new martial art formed by combining six techniques.

This child was forging a new path based on what he knew, rather than following the given one.

This was truly the path of a grandmaster.

“Is that young child already walking that path…”

An involuntary murmur came from the elderly monk as he watched the sparring.

It was as if he was seeing his past self.